Familiar four set sights on title game

All four Berks Softball League semifinalists will look to add to their rich diamond histories today at Lyons.

Brandywine Heights, which won four straight Berks titles until being eliminated in the quarterfinals last year, will look to get another title shot when the Bullets (20-1) face Gov. Mifflin (11-7) at noon in the first game of a semifinal doubleheader.

Daniel Boone (18-1) will meet Kutztown (16-5) in the second game.

The winners will advance to the county championship Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Lyons.

The Bullets took their first step toward regaining the title with a 6-3 win over Twin Valley in Thursday's quarterfinals. Jenna Seabourne and Taylor Brintzenhoff hit home runs in support of winning pitcher Sara Fronheiser.

Gov. Mifflin, which lost to Brandywine 9-6 March 30 in Shillington, is looking for its first title since winning back-to-back championships in 1992 and '93.

Led by senior pitcher Jess Epler, the Mustangs have won six straight Berks I titles. But the Mustangs haven't made it past the semifinals in that time span.

Twice they lost to Brandywine Heights in the semifinals, including a 1-0 loss in nine innings in their last playoff meeting in 2008.

Daniel Boone and Kutztown have clashed in the playoffs several times with Kutztown often coming out on top. But the Blazers defeated the Cougars 9-1 in the Berks quarterfinals last season, the last time they met.

The Cougars won the last of their Berks record five straight county titles in 2002, defeating Daniel Boone along the way in the semifinals. Kutztown also defeated the Blazers in the semifinals the previous year.

Daniel Boone won its last Berks title in 2005 when it defeated Kutztown in the semifinals.

The Blazers have advanced to the semifinals for the third straight year with a 6-1 win over defending champion Hamburg.

The Blazers manufactured six runs off Tara Klee, the 2010 Berks Player of the Year, with bunts, slap hits and aggressive baserunning.

Katie Erb, the leadoff hitter and winning pitcher, scored three runs and pitched a three-hitter in the victory.

"We know what to expect from them," Kutztown coach Dick Angstadt said. "Good pitching, good defense, they're going to run the bases. That's what you expect from a good team like Boone."

Kutztown reached the semifinals for the 13th time in 15 years with a 5-3 win over Exeter. Tessa Dorr started a winning two-run rally in the bottom of the sixth and ended the game with an unassisted double play.